Calm Hope (pending title)
by Kakashifan727
Summary: Nozomi Kasuga is pulled from the modern world of Tokyo to the Heian period of Kyoto. It is a dark time of war, strife, magic and monsters. Losing her college friends in the jump, Nozomi suffers cruelty after cruelty until she is saved by pure chance. That chance is the young Genji commander and magic user named Kajiwara Kagetoki.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Haruka series. It is owned by Ruby Party and Koei Tecmo. I do not own any of the characters or settings portrayed within. I do not make any profit off of this work.**

 **Full Summary: (Mix of true route path with all chars routes; Kagetoki's taking some priority over the others. Ages of characters have been altered to suit my own preference.) Nozomi Kasuga is pulled from the modern world of Tokyo to the Heian period of Kyoto. It is a dark time of war, strife, magic and monsters. Losing her college friends in the jump, Nozomi suffers cruelty after cruelty until she is saved by pure chance. That chance is the young Genji commander and magic user named Kajiwara Kagetoki. He is only one who believes her story about being the White Dragon Priestess at first, being an Omnyoji and older brother to the Black Dragon Priestess. Feeling abandoned by her modern companions and distrustful because of the scars she received upon coming to the past, Nozomi is reluctant to use her powers and help people.** **Understanding what she is going through, being a magic user himself and having a few odd secrets of his own, Kagetoki helps her open up to her powers along with the guidance of her other Eight Protectors.** **As the years slowly go by, she grows accustomed to living in the past. The two come to rely on each other, getting through various obstacles together and deepening their bond into something special; much to the jealously of her modern friends. Can they stop the evil plot of the Heike before it consumes all of Heian Japan and the future as well?**

 **A/N: We'll see how this goes. Only know about this from playing the previous games, the Ultimate demo, the small bits I could find with guides, most in broken english or webspeak, with no knowledge of Japanese. Gonna go more historical fiction maybe in that case; I dunno...Definitely changing some of the story to flow better along with character relationships etc. Depends what the internet will help me find. This ch is mostly info dump, sorry. Same with summary. Rest will be better I hope.**

"Thank God...I thought class was going to drag on forever," I muttered, moving a few locks of my long purple hair out of my face. _That class was grueling...I can't wait for Winter break._ I think, quickly packing my bags and getting up from my desk. A familiar chuckle causes me to turn around. A smile dawns on my face as my best friend enter my view, his smiling face matching my own. His short blue hair almost blends in with my long purple locks, the two quite similar in color. I jump a bit, startled, when I feel his hand on my shoulder. It's so large and warm, in contrast to my small shoulder. I don't mind the feeling, but if someone sees us like this, what would they think? My mind wanders as I think of his younger brother, the green haired, glasses wearing boy one year my junior. As far as I know, he seems to have some kind of infatuation with me; probably because the three of us were childhood friends. I'm not really sure what to think of his feelings, though I do know he would be surprised if he saw us like this. I laugh nervously, brushing off his large hand.

"Masaomi-kun, what are you doing? What if someone sees?" I ask, looking into his blue eyes. They dazzle me, and my heart skips a beat as it thumps in my chest. My classmate only grins, his deep and soothing voice making me feel warm.

"Sorry, sorry. I just got a bit excited. I just can't wait for our break, you know?" He comments, his smile turning into a grin as he walks with me out the room and into the school hallway. I nod, his mood becoming infectious as I realize we have all this time off. No studying, no teachers, just time with our families and holiday cheer. This makes me wonder what I should do for Christmas...I'm nervous about getting everybody gifts. Even though I have a part time job after school, making enough money to buy something really nice would be difficult. I'll have to try though. I want to make everybody really happy for the holidays. Another voice jolts me out of my thoughts for a moment, as one of our juniors comes up to us. He smiles at me, his glasses reflecting the happy looks on our faces as he joins our little entourage.

"Nozomi-senpai, Masaomi, are you guys leaving already? You guys are quick. I wasn't sure I'd be able to walk home with you in time..." He mutters, his short, light green hair contrasting to my long purple and Masaomi's dark blue.

"We wouldn't leave you, Yuzuru-kun! We were just going to your class to find you," I answer, smiling back at the glasses wearing boy. Masaomi nods, grabbing the smaller boy by the shoulder.

"Hey, what kind of older brother would I be if I left you at school? On that note, we better get going, it looked like it was going to rain earlier," Masaomi comments, the three of us walking faster almost as in response to his words. We didn't want to get caught in the rain; I didn't bring an umbrella and I doubt those two did either. Well, this is what we get for not checking the weather I suppose. As we walk outside of the school building, dark clouds start to gather around us. Many other students are hurry along with their friends or rushing off alone on foot or on their bikes. Something seems strange to me, so I move ahead of Masaomi and Yuzuru. After a few seconds I spot it; a lone figure with its back turned to us, seemingly out of place in the crowded school grounds. I notice why almost immediately. They look like a small child, much too young to be at our university, their hair a strange silver color, almost white and so long it almost touches the ground. _Who is this kid? He'll get sick if he's goes out like that...I probably should ask him to join us. No one else seems to care..._ I think, slowly walking toward the small boy. It is true, no one else, except maybe Masaomi and Yuzuru seem to notice the child, standing alone amongst the darkening sky.

"Huh? That kid...what's he doing here?" I hear Masaomi mutter, as I reach out my hand to touch him. Just then, a peal of thunder strikes the sky, starling me and making me pull my hand back. Rain starts falling almost immediately, first slowly and calmly, then a downpour. It was all so sudden, almost unreal or like magic. The child turns towards me in that moment, his large amber eyes trapping me. He's so small and cute; I feel bad for him being all alone in this coming storm. His eyes are filled with a warmth and kindness one would expect from a child, yet I sense something more deep within. Almost as if this child is hiding his true self from us. It makes a chill run down my spine, and the words the child say next only add to my confusion.

"My miko...I finally found you..." He mutters, his voice tiny and clear like a bell. It was hard for me to hear him, the rain drowning out his small voice as his eyes are still locked onto me. What did he say? I couldn't really make it out...was he calling for me? I move closer to the small child, my eyes still locked onto his small frame. I hear voices calling out for me in the back of my mind, probably my friends...

"Senpai! Are you worried about that boy? He is kind of small...but something about him..." Yuzuru comments, having walked up closer to me to get a better look at the child, Masaomi included. Another peal of thunder sounds out in the distance, the rain almost obscuring our vision it was becoming so dense. This weather is kind of odd...That thought crosses the back of my mind as I look at the boy, his mouth moving as he says something.

"My precious miko...Come with me," He commands, a strange power swelling from the boy. It makes me try to take a step back, but as I do, my feet are swept out from under me. I feel water soak my school clothes as I hit the ground, my body being pulled forward by a strong current that came seemingly out of nowhere. I know this isn't because of the rain. The boy himself almost glows with some sort of power, and he rises up in the air slowly, the concentration of water carrying me going faster and faster as I notice that the ground is no longer there. The sky is gone as well, just an odd black void that appeared out of nowhere. I look back and see the shocked faces of my two friends as they watch the scenery change around them. Yuzuru calls out for me, jumping out into the current himself, Masaomi doing the same. Can no one else see this? Are we the only ones that were pulled in? Probably because we were so close to the kid...Or he chose us, going by whatever he was trying to say. Or rather chose me. I wonder what he means...I'm brought back to my senses by the feeling of water filling my lungs, the current now pulling me under. I feel something grab onto one of my hands and look back to see Yuzuru-kun's hand holding my own. The current is too strong however, and we easily separate, my own body being pulled further into the black void. If I could scream I would, but that would only fill my lungs with more water, and they are burning heavily already. I can only watch as the horrified faces of my schoolmates waver and blacken before my hazy eyes as I feel more water filling into my lungs. The last thing I see is Masaomi-kun and Yuzuru-kun try to swim through the swirling current, desperately trying to reach me. I weakly attempt to offer my hand to them, but my strength is drained completely and I falter, my body feeling like it is falling through the air before I start to lose consciousness completely.

The night sky is dark and I feel a chill as I sweep aside the cloth covering my tent. The winter night air is cold, the small dusting of snow blanketing the ground making my feet freeze in their sandals. _I should have brought a better outfit...Oh well. Can't be helped! Besides, this coldness is refreshing in its own way._ I think, looking up at the sky to see the stars above the encampment. They twinkle softly in the darkness, a soft illumination against the harsh red fires leaping out of their torches on the ground. It's so peaceful, and yet something about it makes me nervous. I know well the reason why.

We have been fighting for the past few hours now, and the tide does not seem to be turning in our favor. I had hoped we could get the fighting over and done with quickly, but this seems to not be the case. The enemy was skilled, though I fancied myself a good commander as well, but there was something most definitely off about our enemies strength. According to the reports, some of the troops had reported seeing some sort of 'monsters' during the last engagement. I had also seen them, feeling their dark aura in various places around the battlefield. Those Heike scum were up to something nefarious; the Taira clan's heirs would do anything to regain their lost glory. _So they've stooped to using black magic, eh? As if they weren't enough trouble for Lord Yoritomo, they now throw demons into the mix._ I knew better; they weren't just monsters but something far worse. Their very presence shifted the air around us, making it a dark and choking miasma. They were evil spirits, summoned from some unholy godforsaken place to corrupt the earth itself. Human weapons could not completely destroy them, something we learned the hard way. The spirits just reformed into new bodies somewhere else like nothing had ever happened. Just when you think you've beaten them, they come back somewhere else and in larger numbers. It only seems magic and some sealing spells are effective; and the sealing spells need to be quite powerful. At least the human opponents we could take down; you can tell when a person dies. And these things often took the form of humans, though not always. Sometimes they were outright ogres and demons, or some sort of mythical beast or humanoid form. The worst was when they mixed within the human ranks, making them more difficult to tell apart.

That was what seemed to be happening now, and our forces were suffering because of it. The mere thought of watching our soldiers die on the battlefield, their screams of terror as they died, made my body shake. I didn't like watching people die; I honestly hated violence. What could I do about it? Ever since I had been eighteen years old and the gods had embedded this sea green jewel into my chest everything seemed to be decided for me. I had been good at fighting, as most men my age were, but to earn the attention of someone like Minamoto Yoritomo was something else. This was my lot in life and I had to accept it. Besides, if Lord Yoritomo heard that we had retreat at such a critical juncture he'd have my head. I shuddered at the thought of his cold, fierce eyes staring me down, his intense gaze radiating his feeling of disappointment. He was quite a scary man, having the command some of the more powerful sects of the country under his thumb. Then again being one of the famed Minamoto clan, he was destined for greatness, just like his younger brother. He was known for his relentless tactics, superior strategizing skills and ruthless nature. I saw him fight on the battlefield once; it was terrifying. He just left a mound of corpses in his wake. My family would be ostracized if I disobeyed him. I couldn't afford that, not while taking care of my aging mother and little sister. They need the money and fighting was the only way I could earn it. The house, our food and most of everything else was because I had been promoted to commander because of my potential at only twenty three years of age. Even with my good poetic and scribing talents, I couldn't earn a living with that. So...Here I am. Fighting in this godsforsaken place, innocent lives being lost, my own heart being torn in twain. I don't know how much longer I can do this. I wanted to be done with it, and just live peacefully with my family, maybe make use of other talents that didn't invovle martial prowess, but...I'm too weak. I couldn't go against Lord Yoritomo. Besides, the people need fighters like us in times like these. I don't like it, but I am fighting for my mother and younger sister too. If I think about it that way, it's not as bad.

My mind turned back to the battle at hand, my eyes tearing up as I hear the sounds of more of my men howling in pain, knowing they were hurting from today's battle. I'm angry, both at my own powerlessness and at the situation before us. Maybe if I was a better commander...I've only fought a couple battles, and I'm still quite green. If only I could do something to help...These monsters were definitely pushing this battle in the Heike's favor. Our troops would kill what they thought was a human, only for it to stand right back up and continue fighting. It certainly wasn't helping our morale any, for sure. I had to do something; our men were becoming nervous and thus affecting our combat potential. I tried to ignore the lurching feeling in my stomach, the guilt at losing so many of our troops, even though I knew I wasn't truly at fault. We were dealing with something supernatural here, and despite my own experience with magic, I was not sure how to handle it. My own skills were more suited to breaking barriers and laying traps, maybe a few offensive spells here and there. It certainly wasn't enough to turn the tide that severely. Though maybe setting a few magical traps and enhancing the soldiers weapons with magic could help a bit...maybe there was something I could do. With this thought in mind, my head turned upwards to the sky, the dark night strangely calming as I watched the stars sparkle. Just then, a star larger than the others caught my attention; it was quite bright and almost seemed to be moving. It seemed like an omen, almost as if I could feel a strange power from it. I closed my eyes, focusing on the bright star, and concentrated deeply on the feelings deep within in my heart...

 _I want the fighting to end. I just want there to be peace; no more death, no more fighting with minimal bloodshed._

Cold. Cold and wet. These are the first sensations I am aware of as I slowly open my eyes. I blink, not sure of what to make of the scenery before me. Am I dreaming? T _his...this can't be real._ I think, my body feeling very sore as I attempt to get up off of the cold ground. My hands are freezing, probably because of the snow coating the ground, and that my body is still wet from nearly drowning. Even though I'm wearing my school uniform and a good pair of shoes, they are all soaked through to the bone, and it makes the coldness of the snow all that more apparent. I ache all over, and I feel very tired...It would be nice to fall asleep right now, but...where are the others? I don't see much in this frozen landscape, just a sea of white snow amid a pink sky. It must be late in the afternoon, or possibly even early dawn. I'm not sure when I regained consciousness. All I know is that I am alone, and my friends are nowhere to be found. Shaking as I stand up, my body tired and freezing, I desperately try to call out in a weak voice.

"Masaomi-kun, Yuzuru-kun, where are you? Are you alive? Please, answer me!" I shout, my voice sounding feeble in the white space. A few seconds pass and yet there is no response. Nothing. I strain my ears to listen, trying to find any trace of their voices that I know so well. I do hear something, almost like a shout or cry. My mind thinks back to that little boy, whoever or whatever that was. Could it be him? If that's so, I should find him...Even if he probably brought us here, he's still just a small child. I can't leave him to freeze to death. I shake again, my body shivering as I huddle in my snow covered school uniform. I start moving, trying to find some way to keep the warmth in my body and look for the source of the sound I heard. Or that I thought I heard. My senses could be playing tricks on me, I think as I walk forward slowly. I do feel a bit disoriented and my body is cold and wet; I'm not sure I'm fully aware of what is going on right now. My feet crunch in the snow, small footsteps leaving a trail behind as I walk in no direction in particular. I just follow the sound of the wind, the odd screams coming closer as I walk forward. I blink as I notice a change in the scenery, no longer just a white wasteland of snow. My heart pounds in my chest as I look upon this sight, my brain taking a while to register everything at once.

Blots of brown, red and other stark colors contrast with the blinding white of the snow. Odd colored lumps of various sizes dot the white space, my brain not wanting to register exactly what they are. The smell is horrendous, like that of old meat being out too long. It makes me want to puke, but I try my best to remain composed. Something in me realizes what is gong on, a small scream stuck in my throat. I focus on something else, the planks of brown wood diverting my attention. They look like barricades, some of them painted the same odd red color as the snow and the lumps. _No. Not painted...Stained._ I think, my brain slowly registering that the crimson stains are blood. Those lumps on the ground are corpses, their bodies stained with their lifeblood as it drips out onto the snow. I can't count how many there are; from my vantage point it could be only these few or many more. I can't see too much beyond the horizon. I don't want to see. My stomach churns as my nose detects the stench of the dead bodies, the dried blood and smell of death making me want to vomit. What nightmarish place is this? This isn't our university...It's some kind of battlefield. I can understand that much. Only death lingers here. It's somewhere I should not be.

I shiver again, this time for a reason other than the cold. I subconsciously backpedal, my feet moving more of their own accord. I really, really shouldn't be here. It's scary. _I'm scared. I think of my friends; what if they are here? I can't leave them._

That thought alone causes me stop retreating, my feet becoming colder as they dig deeper into the snow. I have to find them and that small child too. He must be more scared than I am, no matter what kind of thing he did to get us here. I gingerly move my freezing feet, being careful not to step on any of the dead bodies. Now that I examine them more closely, they seem to have died from various types of wounds. Arrows pierce through the armor and into the soft skin, dried blood crusted to the corpses. Sword slashes and some other type of gashes run across another corpse, it organs failing to stay out of its body. I try to resist puking or screaming; these corpses look kind of fresh and I don't want to come across whatever did this. It's not like I want to see this, but I can't help looking at them as I walk ahead, my brain automatically focusing on these colored lumps in the white snow. They all appear to be wearing armor, like samurai did back in the Heian period of Japan. I remember seeing pictures of them at my textbooks at school, and I've always had a bit of a soft spot for history. Some of them are wearing armor in a different style and color, though it is hard to tell from the blood on them. They must have been fighting each other, my brain reasons. My heart skips a beat as I hear an odd noise; the sound of something moving. I blink a few times, still walking through the corpse strewn battlefield, trying to see anything out of the ordinary. It's not my footsteps, as it sounds farther away. I am however, able to feel a sort of...presence, my head feeling a bit dizzy for some odd reason. I do notice a new smell, this one oddly sickeningly sweet, and not in a good way. I just try to keep walking forward, though it has become harder than before, and I think I'm starting to pass out, as the clear white of the snow isn't as pure as before. _No, I'm not blacking out..._ I realize as I put my hand in front of my face to gauge this theory. It too is cloaked in a black sort of mist, my pulse quickening as I realize the whole area has become saturated. This must be the cause of the unease I felt earlier, along with the odd dizziness. Getting the feeling of being watched, I turn around to check, my body shaking a bit with fear. My eyes nearly bulge out of my head at what I see, and I resist the overwhelming urge to scream out.

 _"O spirits of vengeance, come forth! I, your summoner, compel thee! Feel the hatred coursing through mine veins, this ancient grudge! O demons of hell, I command thee, come forth and wreak havoc on the world of the living!"_ A man shouts, his unnaturally pale arms waving and gesturing wildly. His beautiful face is distorted by a grimace of hatred, his almond shaped eyes narrowing on the small clearing below him.

"Yes, yes! Splendid. The summoning has succeeded. I can feel it; the evil energies of hell themselves are here to do my bidding. Tch. What a messy affair. What does father take me for, some lowly servant? He should be able to do this himself! I'd much rather be in battle myself, than doing these menial tasks." The young man complains, snapping his ornate folding fan shut with a loud clap. He sighs, looking down at his handiwork one last time, a smug smile on his face as he walks away from the cliff edge.

"Those Genji bastards! Let's see how they like dealing with the Taira clan now! Hahahahaha!"

 _What is this?_ I think, my mind in a daze. I can hardly process what is happening before me. The corpses from before are moving, rising up out of their prone state. _No, this isn't happening. They are dead!_ I panic, my mind frozen as I watch a couple of the nearest corpses shamble on their feet. They smell awful, and what is left of their skin is hanging off of their bodies, having nothing to attach it to. Where there should be eyes, if the real eyeballs weren't in their sockets and rolling around crazily, was just a hollow black socket with a dim light in the center. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding, my legs shaking as they are too scared to move. The reanimated corpses are moving toward me, their dim red lights that served as eyes honing in on me like a beacon. I feel myself starting to run, adrenaline pushing me farther than I figured I could go. I don't care where, just get me away from this awful place! I just keep running, the shambling noises of the bodies slowly getting further and further away. I don't stop when I notice the sounds have receded; I just keep going, my body powered by adrenaline and fear. Tears blanket my eyes as I feel the wind in my face, obscuring my vision. I only stop when I feel my legs give out from under me, my body tripping on the snow covered ground as I skid in the dirt, my long socks tearing in places from the hard impact and friction. _Owww..._ I look at my scabbed hands and legs, now covered in dirt. My clothes and hair were dirty as well, my longer tresses having rubbed up against the ground when I tripped. There is a dull pain spreading throughout my body, and it compounds with the aches I already have from before. I just want to rest for a bit...Then again, what if Masaomi-kun and Yuzuru-kun are in a similar predicament? I need to find them! But...where am I? I ran for so long I thought my lungs were going to explode. I breathe heavily as I look around, the scenery once again unfamiliar to me. It's similar to where I was, the same wooden barricades and even some flags flying on top of them.

Yet it was different; there were signs of life here. I think I can see movement far away, blurred figures that are pacing back and forth. My heart catches in my throat as I pray that they will help me. I have to try, for my friends sake! I get up slowly, my body tired and achy as it struggles to move forward. They aren't that far away but it feels like an eternity for me to get closer to the moving shapes, the two figures stopping as I come into their field of view. They look like soldiers to me, wearing the same type of armor as the corpses from before. I tense up at seeing the weapons at their sides, which they grip tentatively as their eyes widen in surprise. One of them finally starts to talk, his voice low and stern.

"Tis a lone maiden? Hold! Who art thou? Friend or foe?" His speech is weird, some sort of odd dialect that I've only read in old stories. It's nothing like the Japanese I'm used to, and it takes me a moment to respond. The other man points at me, his finger stopping on my clothes and long purple hair.

"Hark! What garb is that? Never seen the likes of it before...The hair, as well, is an odd hue. Our lord has a different sheen, but this...shade of violet is unsettling. Mayhaps she be a demon or the like?" I open my mouth at that statement, wanting to refute his claim, but the two give me no chance.

"Don't believe so. Those monsters are only wont to strike our foes. I'd rather chance she was a witch or some sort. Only reason she ain't been ripped to shreds," His companion gawks at this, his arms flailing wildly. The other one only sighs, brandishing his sword as he walks toward me. I raise my hands in surrender, and he points his blade at the tip of my thirst. He's much too fast for me; these are trained warriors and I'm just a simple girl. Although I did practice kendo for a long time, even becoming the head of my university club. For women of course, but I was still proud of it. I babble out words, something, anything so they don't cut me down on the spot.

"P-please! I'm just a college student. I'm lost and looking for my friends. We were separated--" I barely get the chance to finish my sentence as the other man shouts at my words, his helmet covered face stricken with panic from what I could see of it.

"Her speech! What dialect does she spout? It sounds almost like a foreign tongue, yet the same like as ours. This is the truth of it; she is a witch!" I just stand there at the man's outrageous accusation, not really wanting to argue with a sword pointed at my throat. His companion nods, one of his hands gesturing to his worried fellow. He looks at me, his black eyes stern as he stares into my purple ones.

"Stay still. Anything out of sorts, and you will be cut down. Understand?" I nod, and I hear the heavy clang of armor as the other manwalk walks behind me, his hands rough as he grips mine and pulls them behind me. I am pushed along by the two of them, the sword still pointed at my side, ready to skwerer me if I made a wrong move. _This is insane...What the heck have I gotten into? I just hope my friends are okay..._


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: apologies in advance for the corny sounding old world dialogue. Only for a couple more chapters. If anyone gives enough of a care to help fix it, please let me know. I'm trying on my own of course but extra eyes are good.**

 **Trigger warnings: Molestation, female nudity, 'light' rape (heavily censored compared to original)**

My head feels hazy as I regain consciousness. The first thing I feel is pain, and the sting of the cold. It takes a moment for me to remember why. Whatever happened to us at the university wasn't normal. Not in the least. I remember watching Nozomi-san go up to that silver haired boy, heard him mutter something as I approached. Then it was as if a fast current pulled her away from me; she slipped right through my fingers when I tried to grab her. I remember diving in after her, my smaller glasses wearing brother following my lead, but...All I can remember is the coldness of the water as it hit my face, my lungs burning the more I tried to reach out for Nozomi, straining for air with every inch. _I must have blacked out sometime during that. But why didn't I drown?_ I think, looking at my water logged uniform and the sharp blue locks that draped over my forehead. I try to get up, pain lacing my body as I realize that little swim must hare made me more tired than usual. I shiver a bit, the air cold as I realize my surroundings have changed quite a bit. While it was close to winter in the province we lived in, there were not yet signs of snow. Here, it blanketed the place with a light coating of frost, the area all around me white save for some naked trees dotting the landscape. Nothing looked familiar, no landmarks that I could use to guess where I was. Whatever that kid had done, he had whisked us away somewhere. This sure isn't home. My voice is hoarse as I call out, hoping that Yuzuru or Nozomi would hopefully hear me.

"Heeey! Is anyone there? Nozomi-chan, Yuzuru! If you can hear my voice, please say something!"

I wait for a bit, hoping that someone would answer. I strain my ears against the harsh wind, trying to see if I can hear anything. Nothing. Just the howl of the cold air in my ears. Dammit. Those two have to be somewhere. How would I know where to start looking? I'm not sure, but staying here in this cold weather isn't good for me. I'm at risk of catching a cold or worse, wet like this. My eyes dart to the first thing they can make out; the tops of the trees, their brown bark clearly visible in this pitch white landscape. _I might as well try._ I muse, slowly moving my feet forward despite all the aches in my body. Even if all I find is a place to rest for a bit and dry off, that's better than norhing. I just keep moving forward, my legs protesting with each step I take, hoping to find something.

"I'll find you both, I swear it." I mutter this to myself as I continue walking, the minutes slowly turning into hours. I don't care that my body is going to wear out soon, that the sun is starting to set, painting the place in a deep orange. I just want to find my childhood friend and my little brother before it's too late. That's all that keep me going, even as the edges of my vision become hazy and I feel the vestiges of sleep take over my body. I fight those urges, knowing that to succumb is to die out here, my eyes scanning the landscape for any sign of inhabitants. I don't see much aside from the trees that I've been following, just more white landscape. I squint, trying to focus my vision in case I might have missed something. I can't tell; there could be something there or there might not be. I feel dizziness set over me, my body tilting to the side a bit as I lose my balance. With not much strength left and nothing to grab onto, I hit the ground quite hard, the cold snow startling me as I fall on top of it. I attempt to get back up, but my limbs just lie there, shaking uselessly as I stare into the whiteness of the void. My eyes slowly lose focus, my sight going dark as I think I see figures appear out of the whiteness. I tell myself that I am hallucinating, my only thought a slimmer of hope that Nozomi and Yuzuru made it here safer than I did.

I let out a small sneeze, shaking a bit at the cold air, wishing my hands weren't tied together with rope so I could try and warm myself. The two armored men next to me jump a bit, one of them pointing their drawn sword at me with a look of panic on his helmet wearing face.

"Oh, only a sneeze..." He mutters, being careful to keep his sword trained on me while moving it away from my body. His companion only chuckles at him, though his gaze is fierce as it turns to me. I only stare back, my body shaking a bit in the cold wind. We've been walking for quite a bit now, into a sort of encampment as there are things that look like barracks and tents popping up in places. I'm starting to feel tired, though I don't dare to slow down lest one of these soldiers decides to skewer me through for being lazy. Besides the soldiers who were busy doing whatever before are just staring at me, my presence seemingly distracting them. I can guess why; no normal girl would be out here of her own will. They must also think I am strange. I do notice however, that I am being brought into what seems to be the center of the encampment. A couple more soldiers join us then, these a bit more decorated than their counterparts, their armor more profound and weapons more prominently displayed at their sides. Even if I wanted to run away I doubt I could. I keep hoping that one of these people might help me; maybe their leader will be more trusting.

That thought vanishes from my mind as I hear the odd shouts of what is undoubtedly a male voice, it's rough tenor and low tone distinctive in my ears. We easily come within view of the source of the noise; a large, heavily armored man shouting across a table at some soldiers, who look very nervous. He bellows out more of what I assume are orders, before stopping abruptly to stare at us. Or more likely, at me. His cold eyes bore into me as I take in his features. He doesn't look all that different from what I would see in my history textbooks, though he doesn't strike me as anyone important. I think I would recognize one of Japan's generals of the Heike era, seeing as I am a history buff. He has a rugged look about him, the scruff of a beard around his chin and deep set eyes making me wary of him. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, not able to gaze into those eyes and find anything of significance, maybe only a mild annoyance. He scoffs at my small entourage, his eyes narrowing as he stares at one of the soldiers.

"Why I am being interrupted so? I am quite busy!"

One of the less adorned soldiers teeters a bit, bowing his head before trying to speak.

"Sir, we thought this might be of importance to you. T-this girl...she seems to be a witch of some sort. W-we found her all alone in the battlefield, wearing this strange garb."

The general like man only snorts, his eyes roving over my wet form. I'm suddenly reminded that my uniform is clinging to my soaking body, making me self-conscious. He moves from behind the table to get closer to me, though one of his men act as a barrier between us. He's probably worried I'd try something. Not like I could if I would.

"The garb she wears is odd, yes, and her hair is a weird hue...Yet I see no reason to show me such a pathetic waif." He comments, one of the soldiers swallowing a bit as he tries to speak. His voice was no more than a squeak compared to the deeper toned man.

"Well, the monsters...Even the couple in the camp...They don't seem overly intent on killing her. They just go about their business as if she wasn't there or just one of the men. It's odd, sir. Shouldn't they be attacking her like they did those peasants?" The man only stares more intently at me, my own gaze dropping to the floor a bit at his intensity. I feel his hand on my chin, forcing me to look at him, my heart pounding in my chest. His coal black eyes are hard set as they stare into mine, making me even more nervous. We stay like this for a few seconds, neither of us moving. What is he looking for? I'm not sure, but by the way he stares at me so intently, he probably hasn't found it. He has an odd light in his eyes, and it makes me shiver. I admit I'm still hoping for a show of goodwill. I tell myself they are just being cautious, as a stranger has wandered into their camp. I feel his hand roughly push me aside, my body thrown off balance by his overwhelming strength. I fall on the ground into the snow, no one even bothering to help me up. I hear his disdainful words a moment later, my hope sinking with them.

"She doesn't seem inclined in magic like Taira-sama but what do I know? He would know more of such things than I. She is quite the prize though...Put her somewhere she won't be bothered by the monsters. I doubt they'd attack her anyway, but just in case, keep her away from them. Do what you like with her, as a reward, just don't kill her. Tie and gag her as well, so she can't do anything. Witch or not, I'm not taking chances. That Genji commander is a crafty bastard, despite being such a young upstart. Seems he's practiced in magic as well. We don't need any more hindrances like him, especially in our own forces." I hear his feet move away from me, crunching on the hard snow as I just lie there, unsure of whether to move or not. I don't want to upset this guy anymore than he already is. I feel a hard tug on my hair, one of the men roughly pulling me up by my roots, which hurts a lot. I wince as I try to hold back tears as it's quite painful, but he lets go of me soon enough, walking in front of me to show me where to go. I feel one of the other men push me forward, the metallic screeching of blades being drawn telling me I should just try to keep moving. It's hard though, as my feet are cold and I do stumble a couple times as we go on.

 _What is going on here? Are they fighting someone...? Well we are in a camp full of armored soldiers. That guy did say something about the Genji too. Wait a second...They aren't talking about the Taira Minamoto war, are they? The great succession war of 1200s Japan, where heroes and legends such as Musashibo Benkei and Yoshitsune were created? One of the major tales of Japan's history? No...but I can't rule it out completely. The style of their armor, and their speech patterns suggest that to be the case._ I muse, our march finally stopping as we come to a small makeshift shack made out of wood. I just stare at the dilapidated structure in front of me, my eyes widening as one of the soldiers opens the door and pushes me inside. It is dark, as there are no light sources in the rectangular building as it is only one tiny room. The light coming in from the outside however, makes it clear that this is a sort of supply shack, as there are various weapons and goods stacked inside. I hear the odd sounds of shuffling as one of the men takes a handful of rope, moving towards me with it. I instinctively back away, fear caught in my throat. I try to plead, to say anything but my words only come out as a garbled mess. I knew this was going to happen, yet I am nowhere near mentally prepared for it.

"P-please. Y-you don't...I-I...oh god." I can only stutter, my voice trembling a bit. The fear stricken man from before yells out, his paranoia obviously resurfacing.

"What are you doing, imbecile? H-hurry up and follow orders. S-she could be cursing us, damned witch!" I stumble backwards, my feet tripping over some supplies in the low light. I have no idea what I stepped on, my attention more focused on the man roughly grabbing my shoulder, twisting me around, and checking the rope that bound my wrists against my back. I can't move them at all, as my hands are tied as well, completely restricting my movement. I do try to move my legs though, as I notice the man going for them next, his gaze lingering on my exposed crotch. I was wearing a skirt, so my underwear were fully exposed to them as I had fallen down, my face red with shame as I just realized that fact. No one at university has seen my underwear, aside from my fellow female roommates. I had never really been close to a boy before, being a bit too shy and focusing a bit on kendo and my studies. Now a complete stranger is touching me! I feel rage and embarrassment surge through me, overpowering the fear for a microsecond. I just use our positioning to my advantage, placing a nice kick with the sole of my foot. Thankfully my aim was good, as the man staggers backwards, blood pouring out of his broken nose. He glares at me, one of his sword wielding companions pointing the tip of the blade at my neck. I shake a bit, feeling the point of the cold metal against my throat, knowing that it would only take a second to run me through and end my life. The man I had kicked quickly goes back to lift up my skirt, causing me to yelp in surprise as his hand touches the underside of my thigh. I can't help it; his hands are cold as they run down my legs, finally tying my ankles together so I can no longer move. He and a couple of his companions grin at my distress, the sword finally lifted from my throat. I feel shame flooding my cheeks, which is compounded by the fact that he is still looking at me, his hands still lifting up my skirt. I can't do anything to stop him as he fondles my legs. _Please, someone...I don't want this! Masaomi-kun make it stop!_ I can feel his rough hands touch my smooth skin, and I try to scream, my voice loud in the small space. I don't like this. Who gave him the right to touch me like this? I mentally sigh as I realize I've never had much intimate contact with the opposite sex. I can't believe this was going to be my first experience; being tied, gagged and screwed in a dingy shed by some ugly, hairy rapists. My mind flashes back to Masaomi his gentle face and voice lingering in my mind. He was pretty, but much too kind to try asking me out, if he even had feelings for me. I admit I was also shy and a bit wary, seeing as we were childhood friends and all. I didn't want to ruin the relationship we had.

"Stop it!" I wail, the beginnings of tears welling up in the corners of my eyes. I don't know what to do except for yell; I can't move and his companions only seem to be egging him on, another one of them jeering at me.

"She's not bad looking, is she, for a witch? You'd better gag her though, else she'll curse you, hahaha!" The man fondling me nods, an evil grin on his face as he takes a piece of my skirt and rips it, my eyes widening as I feel his hand enter my mouth. He nearly chokes me, his hand going all the way into the back of my throat, the cloth gagging me as it fills my mouth. I feel his other hand once again grab at my skirt, the already short garment made shorter as he tears a long strip of it. He quickly wraps the new cloth against my mouth, giving me no room to wiggle my head around to stop him. I can hardly breathe, my eyes tearing up as I feel him tie the gag in place. He steps back from me then, my heart palpitating in fear as I wonder what is going to happen next. I know what will happen; I just don't want to think about it. I wish I could stop him, even for a moment. If only I wasn't bound and surrounded by three of them. I tremble as I feel his hands around my waist, harshly tearing at my skirt and ripping it to pieces. It's not like he would have been able to get it off any other way, with my legs bound at such an odd angle. I try to yell in fear again, but the cloth inside my mouth prevents me from doing so, and I only make an odd cough as a result. I look at the soldier who is doing this to me, tears flooding my eyes as I see no compassion in his gaze. I mentally pray for someone, possibly even one of his friends to help me. That doesn't seem at all likely, as they also huddle around the other man, swords sheathed as I am no longer a threat. _Masaomi-kun...Yuzuru-kun help...I don't want this! Where are you? I need help. Please..._ The expression on his face is one of glee, something in his eyes glittering with malice, or probably lust.

The man only laughs at my predicament, his hands not stopping as he goes down my hips, his fingers feeling around the odd waistband of my underwear. His companions also stare at it, transfixed by the odd material.

"Some type of undergarment? It has an odd feel to it, as it seems to be a bit malleable. Such material is unknown; if this doesn't prove that she is a witch, I'll be damned." One of the men remarks, his face blushing as he stares at me. I don't pay much attention to him though, more focused on the ruffian attempting to pry off my underwear. I wiggle with all my might, hoping I can try and smack him again with my tied up legs. That proves fruitless, and even worse, makes it easier for him to slide the garments off. My skin prickles as I can feel the hard wood of the shed against my exposed butt. It kind of hurts a bit, since the surface is hard and textured, though I am more focused on trying to cover my exposed front. The men just gawk at me, their mouths half open as they stare at me. I blush, shame coloring my cheeks as I can't do anything to change this situation. Damn it, this is humiliating! I feel the tears start to pour freely out of my eyes now, my vision blurring. One of them laughs; I can't tell and don't really care which, as he starts speaking.

"Hah! I didn't think so, but lo and behold. They almost match in color..."

I just squirm a bit as they move closer to me, one of the men daring to put one of his hands on my thigh, tightly gripping it in place. Not like I could move it if I wanted. I can only make odd choking noises because of the gag, my heart racing furiously as I feel another one of his hands reach for my top. Seeing as it is a blazer, with buttons and all, he has difficulty getting it off me, compounded by the fact that it is wet and clinging to my body. He curses, one of his companions offering their sword to him. He takes it, and with an odd grace, easily pokes it against my shirt as he runs it down my chest. I do feel a sharp pain in between my breasts where he stabbed the blade, a small wound bleeding red across my pale skin. The fabric being only cloth, it tears easily and leaves my naked body exposed, although the garment is still hanging in tatters in places like my bound arms. It is an odd sight, and I only wail pitifully as the cold air buffets me, goosebumps running across my skin. The man only laughs, discarding the sword as his hand reaches for my exposed breasts. He easily gropes them, his rough hand feeling very cold against my sensitive skin. I can feel the callouses on his hands as he rubs at my nipple, the sensitive spot hardening because of the cold and his touch. I mentally scream for help, knowing that it would do no good to try. No one cares enough to help me; I admit I had hoped the general would possibly come in, hearing my distress. No one is coming. I wiggle about as I feel his hand start to invade my privacy, his fingers digging deep into me. It hurts. It hurts a lot, a sharp pain down my front that I can't stop. It is made all the worse by the feelings of his fingers inside me, violating me as he pokes and prods inside me. The only thing I feel is the odd release of pressure, my insides becoming oddly wet as despair floods over me. It's like a wave, my body shuddering in disgust as I realize what it's doing. _Why? This is too awful._..I think, tears streaming down my face. I had thought I'd have sex with someone special, someone who loved me. Hopefully with my future husband. Not...like this... I can't stop the tears from flowing down my face, my sobs muffled by the gag. _Where are you guys? Why won't anyone help me?_ I mentally plead, my body shaking a bit with fear and the coldness of the air. I can't take much more of this, the man's fingers continuing to explore, and I try to motion as much with my body. He stares at me for a second, his face wearing a evil grin.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you? Should have expected as much from a witch. Bet you do things like this all the time, you whore!" He accuses, my head shaking as I look at him, trying to find any trace of compassion in his gaze. I only see lust, frustration, rage and possibly a bit of guilt. He doesn't stop in his fondling, my own body jerking every so often. It's more of a pressure in my abdomen than anything, my body shooting with pain as his self digs into me. My body may enjoy it, but I want nothing more than it to end. My back arches against the wall, the back of my head hitting the hard wood, making me dizzy. The man scoffs at this, a grin on his face as his hand finally leaves me. I just lie there, unsure of what he would do next. I don't want to know, but I feel my hair being grabbed by one of his hands that were just touching me. He pulls me to my feet, off of the cold ground and drags me to another corner of the room. The other two just watch him, one of them even leaving the shed completely, the blast of light and cold air from the open door hitting me hard. I can't move my head on account of his rough grip, but I can see him take a couple of things from the shed, more rope being the most noticeable to me. What is he going to do with it now? I watch as he forces my pale, shaking body against one of the support beams of the shed. He easily takes the rope and binds me to the pole, my body straining a bit to stand up after being tied up and treated so roughly. It hurts my ankles, the binds of my rope digging into my skin.

"Now you stay here until the commander comes to get you. I've had my fun watching you squirm. I've grown bored of you..."

I just watch as he takes some odd cloth and presses it against the place where the sword scraped me. It sticks in place, pain lacing through my chest for a second, my eyes too focused on the other thing he brings out. It's a blanket, made of some type of rough material, and I can do nothing as it is wrapped around my body. That at least makes the cold a bit easier to bear, but I can still feel the wind chill through the material. My nose tickles, my body responding by trying to sneeze a few seconds later. I can't though, thanks to the gag, and just half choke on my own spit. Looking me over, the man nods a bit, his hand cupping my chin so I can look him in the eyes. We stay like this for a couple seconds, then his hand finally pulls away, the man turning away from me to talk to his companion.

"We better go. As much fun as I'm having, the boss will be vexed if we waste time. Those Genji bastards won't kill themselves, sadly..."

The other man only nods, his gaze looming over me for only a second before they both walk to the door, opening it and causing me to shiver because of the cold air. It slams closed a second later, leaving me in complete darkness as the torches on the wall are not yet lit as it is still light out. I can only stand there, cold and naked as my feet dig into the snow. Tears still fall down my face, my eyes red from crying and my face flushed with shame and embarrassment. _I can't believe this is real...It has to be a bad dream._ I half-hope, the pain in my abdomen and cold biting through me telling me otherwise. I hope the others are okay, my eyes closing as I think about my friends.


End file.
